Indoor rowing - Concept 2

[MBennett]

Nice improvement hellarda, not long until sub 6:30 eh?

Lets play a game of catch me if you can - lets see if I can goad you into getting faster...

Rodders you need to get back on it, everything said you were sub 7 min!!

I found that doing 1 x AT, 1 x UT 1 & 1 UT 2 ergo a week with 2 weights sessions got me my best results back in the day.

These are explained here http://rowingresource.blogspot.co.uk/p/training-with-heart-rate.html

My fave AT was 500m with 1 min rest x 6 but the rugby test came a close second.
My fave UT1 was a good old 5k.
My fave UT2 was 20mins with 3 min rest x 3.

No need to kill yourself with loads of rowing, just train smart!

 

[muttclugg]

I didn't know we had a rowing thread! .

I started about 2 years ago with some fitness visits to the gym a few times a week and enjoyed the rowing. I got my 2,000m time down to 7m 6sec and then had a good break. I still go to the gym on a regular basis and on Monday done a 7min 11sec which I was happy with.

There's some fantastic times in here though. My aim is to beat that 7 minute barrier.

 

[Deleted member 68110]

Nice consistency!

 

[hellarda]

Nice improvement hellarda, not long until sub 6:30 eh?

Lets play a game of catch me if you can - lets see if I can goad you into getting faster...

Yeah next 2km is in about a month, pretty sure I can go sub 6:30. Need to just not drop off in the middle 800m like the last one, and the negative splitting at the end implies I could do much better. But we shall see

Another 5km tomorrow... hoping to do sub 17:30, although think that might be a little ambitious.

 

[rodders]

Been away with work for a few days. Should be back on it tomorrow!

 

[MBennett]

Yeah next 2km is in about a month, pretty sure I can go sub 6:30. Need to just not drop off in the middle 800m like the last one, and the negative splitting at the end implies I could do much better. But we shall see

Another 5km tomorrow... hoping to do sub 17:30, although think that might be a little ambitious.

I anticipated that and did a 5k for you to beat -hehe- if you just miss out on the 17:30 then your consolidation will be to beat this:

 

[hellarda]

I anticipated that and did a 5k for you to beat -hehe- if you just miss out on the 17:30 then your consolidation will be to beat this:

Gotcha

Pretty damn happy with that, I've knocked ~34 seconds off in 6 weeks and judging by the ridiculous negative splitting in the last Km, could definitely hit 1:43.5 I reckon.

Really odd, was absolutely fine until 1500m to go when I really struggled, then somehow found some magic at about 400m to go...

 

[MBennett]

Gotcha

Pretty damn happy with that, I've knocked ~34 seconds off in 6 weeks and judging by the ridiculous negative splitting in the last Km, could definitely hit 1:43.5 I reckon.

Really odd, was absolutely fine until 1500m to go when I really struggled, then somehow found some magic at about 400m to go...

Great job!! That is a good improvement!

I will set a new 5k challenge when I next go to the gym (not tonight I am off shooting).

 

[hellarda]

Great job!! That is a good improvement!

I will set a new 5k challenge when I next go to the gym (not tonight I am off shooting).

Cheers! Pretty happy with it. Not doing another 5km until 15th May, but doing a 30min r20 next week.

 

[MBennett]

Gotcha

Pretty damn happy with that, I've knocked ~34 seconds off in 6 weeks and judging by the ridiculous negative splitting in the last Km, could definitely hit 1:43.5 I reckon.

Really odd, was absolutely fine until 1500m to go when I really struggled, then somehow found some magic at about 400m to go...

I thought I would do a 30min r20 and post a 8200m which I think will be your next target, but I felt good and thought I could crank out a better one. However I felt pretty bad at 20 mins (going to blame it on the 50hr working week) in and I had to go off and get some water which is where the split goes a bit wonky. I will leave this one as a target for you to get nearer Henley time!

What sort of height/weight are you out of curiosity?

 

[rodders]

how hard you pullnig that bar to get 1:45 @ r20?

 

[Street]

Jesus, you're producing some power there on that 30r20! Some impressive 5k times too, puts my 19min PB to shame.

 

[hellarda]

I thought I would do a 30min r20 and post a 8200m which I think will be your next target, but I felt good and thought I could crank out a better one. However I felt pretty bad at 20 mins (going to blame it on the 50hr working week) in and I had to go off and get some water which is where the split goes a bit wonky. I will leave this one as a target for you to get nearer Henley time!

What sort of height/weight are you out of curiosity?

Yeah target is sub 1:50 this time, which I think is about right with my 5km splits currently. Luckily the weather is starting to get nicer so its making it so much easier to get up and out on the water for 0530!

I'm just shy of 6 ft 2 and sitting about 93/94kg ish

 

[MBennett]

how hard you pullnig that bar to get 1:45 @ r20?

About normal for me, as a sensation the first 5 mins are fairly easy, then it starts to get gradually harder. By 30 mins it is quite the ordeal!

I do all my rowing on a drag factor of 132 (as per rowing law ), so I try not to really pull hard with my upper body, but rather do it all by pushing with the legs.

Yeah target is sub 1:50 this time, which I think is about right with my 5km splits currently. Luckily the weather is starting to get nicer so its making it so much easier to get up and out on the water for 0530!

I'm just shy of 6 ft 2 and sitting about 93/94kg ish

Here is your new 5k target:

With a decent height like that I recon you can touch 6:20 with some effort. I take it you are in the engine room of the eight?

I do not miss early morning sessions one bit!!

 

[hellarda]

About normal for me, as a sensation the first 5 mins are fairly easy, then it starts to get gradually harder. By 30 mins it is quite the ordeal!

I do all my rowing on a drag factor of 132 (as per rowing law ), so I try not to really pull hard with my upper body, but rather do it all by pushing with the legs.



Here is your new 5k target:

With a decent height like that I recon you can touch 6:20 with some effort. I take it you are in the engine room of the eight?

I do not miss early morning sessions one bit!!

Reckon I should be able to get that, although not at that lower rate.

Smashed the 30min today. Safe to say I didn't enjoy it one bit lol. But sub 1:50 is was a massive mental thing for me so please i hit that.

Yeah down into the 6:20s is the aim by Henley time. Although at the moment we have the ergos but not the water speed so that's priority at the moment.

Yep i sit in 4 seat currently.

They're getting so much easier now it's sunnier. Just about to go out for 20km paddle with 2x19' rate builds @34,36,38,40 4', 3', 2', 1' and back up again. Glorious afternoon for it!

 

[rodders]

Just did 6x500 at 1:44.2 average. Not lost it luckily

 

[Street]

Bit slower than some of you guys here but I set a new 5km PB this morning. My previous best was just over 19mins so my target was to beat it slightly today.. I ended up knocking over 15 seconds off!

5km. Target 1:54.9
18:52.3 / 5,000m / 1:53.2 / 26
3:47.1 / 1,000m / 1:53.5 / 26
3:47.0 / 2,000m / 1:53.5 / 26
3:46.8 / 3,000m / 1:53.4 / 26
3:47.6 / 4,000m / 1:53.8 / 26
3:43.8 / 5,000m / 1:51.9 / 26

 

[SAM81]

Really interested in getting a concept 2 second hand. Anyone had experience of this? Things I should look for in regards to mechanical condition?

 

[MBennett]

Well done everyone -nice to see PBs being set left right and centre!!

Hellarda - What test are we on this week, back to 2k?

Rodders - You can smash a sub 7 min 2k with those scores, I know you can. You just need to pick a good day where you are feeling good and make a plan and stick to it. I recommend something like:

If you can average your split it is technically more efficient than doing sprints here and there, but sometimes quite hard psychologically.

Street - Well done, mix it up with a 2k here and some sprints then come back to it next week and I recon you can knock another 15 secs off. That finishing split suggests it!

Really interested in getting a concept 2 second hand. Anyone had experience of this? Things I should look for in regards to mechanical condition?

Never actually bought one but I have been on some old knackered ones in my time! Usually I find the chain mechanism that pulls the chain back in on the recovery stops working or the chain itself is knackered - usually a consequence of idiots on the machine ragging it up and down at 40+ spm on level 10 and lifting the handle over their bent knees (often accompanied with a load crack as the chain whips the body of the erg).

They are fairly sturdy bits of kit however, just avoid buying one from a general gym if you can because it will have had morons on it - if you can buy from a rowing club that might be a better idea as it will have been treated better (possibly with a higher millage though).

Finally get one with a PM3 or higher - the difference between PM2 and PM3 was a quantum leap.

 

[Street]

Really interested in getting a concept 2 second hand. Anyone had experience of this? Things I should look for in regards to mechanical condition?

Don't bother! I was looking at getting a second hand one, but they hold their value really well. I looked at loads and most had been abused, done millions of km, were many years old, creaked etc and were going for not much less than a brand new one. Ergs in reasonable condition, some still with the old PM3, were still going for around £200 less than a new one. I ended up saving up a bit more, biting the bullet and grabbing a brand new one from C2. It was £860 but that had a full warranty and PM5. I figured if I didn't use it much I could lump it on eBay and I'd still get most of what I paid for it back.

Street - Well done, mix it up with a 2k here and some sprints then come back to it next week and I recon you can knock another 15 secs off. That finishing split suggests it!

I'm going to do another cycle on the plan I'm on then try and really push my 2k and 5k. I really want to get sub 7 on the 2k, "only" 7secs to knock off. I could definitely go faster on the 5km too as I didn't feel like I was going to die when I finished!